# How to Paint Your Nails



## Aquilah (Aug 25, 2007)

*HOW TO PAINT YOUR NAILS*
Choose a nail polish in a color of your choice.
Make sure to have your cottonballs, nail polish remover (acetone), towel, newspaper, and clear nail polish.
Paint your nails in a well-ventilated room. The fumes can be extremely dangerous to your health.
Do not Shake the nail polish bottle as this will cause bubbles. Instead roll the bottle between your hands to warm it up. Open it, and scrape some of the excess nail polish off.
Paint one stripe in the middle. Then, paint a stripe on the left, continuing to the right.
Apply one coat of clear nail polish (base and top coat works best). Let it dry.
Apply your first coat of color to your nails, using only three strokes per finger and painting in an upward motion. Don't worry if it looks too thin. It's supposed to. Let it dry -- if it's even a little sticky, the next coat won't go on.
Apply your second coat of color to your nails. Let it dry.
Apply a last coat of clear nail polish to keep the color lasting for at least 1 more week!
*TIPS*
Keep nail polish in the refrigerator. This will keep it from clumping and make it last longer.
If your nail polish clumps up on your nail, remove it with the nail polish remover. If the nail polish is old, roll it between your hands to warm it up. Then, if clumping continues, throw it out. Get a new nail polish.
When painting, keep the coats _very_ thin!
When you mess up, don't stress up! Simply wipe it off with toilet paper and remove all the polish with nail polish remover to get the stuff that the toilet paper missed.
Remember that the top coat is the one everyone will see, and the one that you'll feel. Keep that coat smooth!
If you want sort-of a cool looking texture, wait until the coat is dry enough that you can make fingerprints on it, but not have to clean any off your finger. Then put your finger on it and it will make a finger print! It looks kind of neat from close up.
Run your nails under water after painting. This will give you the chance to feel any bumps without ruining the coat.
If you are in a hurry, use a hair dryer to dry your nails!
If you mess up, get an edge on a piece of toilet paper and gently wipe it off.
Use sparkly and shiny colors! This will get your fingers noticed and you will love it the most!
Don't be afraid to put on stickers or fake gems!
If you don't have the patience to let your nails dry, sit still, wave your arms around like crazy, or watch a movie so that you are busy while your nails dry!
Don't paint on a washcloth; it will make it dirty; use a piece of notebook paper.
If your nails keep breaking and the nail polish makes them look gross, buy some nail hardening fluid (this can be found in the makeup section of drugstores and chemist shops) which you apply before the nail polish. It will make your nails nice and strong so they look long and pretty when painted.
*WARNINGS*
Always keep nail polish and other chemicals out of reach of young children.
Don't chew on your nails, it will ruin them, and it will taste horrible.
Avoid using a cotton ball as much as possible because the hairs often stick to your nails, ruining them.
Be careful if you have any cuts around the edges of your finger nails. It will burn if any nail polish touches a cut.
If you don't apply a base coat before you put the color on your nails could have a nasty looking yellow tint.
SOURCE


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## michal_cohen (Aug 26, 2007)

great info

thx


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## miss petra (Sep 1, 2007)

Very helpful thnx.


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## JennyMcL (Sep 1, 2007)

Wow, I'm a novice and I haven't painted my fingers very much, but I see a lot of mistakes that I've made. Thanks for the great pointers.


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## Janailene (Sep 2, 2007)

thanks for the great info.


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## alexandriamarie (Sep 2, 2007)

good pointers, I'd also recommend knowing when it's time to toss a nail polish. They cant last forever &amp; become very ineffective when kept too long.


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## marshall1704 (Sep 5, 2007)

Thanks for posting!! Great tips!!


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## KellyB (Sep 5, 2007)

Oh I wish I could keep my nails pretty.......gotta keep them short for work, but wonderful tips.


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## -Liz- (Sep 5, 2007)

this is hreat thanks aquilah!


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## amarose (Sep 23, 2007)

great tips !


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## susan50 (Sep 24, 2007)

grest post very helpful Thanks


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## mickey1962 (Sep 27, 2007)

great tips - especially about using the cotton balls.


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## MamaRocks (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks for the tips!


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## MissMaryMac (Oct 30, 2007)

These are great tips, but I still have a question. How do the pros get the "round" look on the toes. I don't like getting pedi's done so I paint my own toes. When I paint them they look flat and square. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?


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## S. Lisa Smith (Nov 3, 2007)

Thanks!


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## c0rrine (Nov 3, 2007)

wow i never thought of refridgerating


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## gkwonn (Jan 13, 2008)

thanks for teh great tips!


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## bulbul (May 17, 2008)

great tips


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## Bec688 (May 18, 2008)

Great tips Aquilah





However, keeping your nail polish in your fridge will do nothing, all you need to do is store the bottle upright and out of direct sunlight/heat.


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## BasementCat (May 23, 2008)

great tips!

# If you are in a hurry, use a hair dryer to dry your nails!

# If you mess up, get an edge on a piece of toilet paper and gently wipe it off.

i will use these.. i always mess up a lot.


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